TAOnline offers a special, high profile section to help promote jobs that are manually posted by companies. These "one-off" job postings are visible in a separate section of the TAOnline to help job seekers see opportunities from all organizations, regardless of company size.What are Small Biz Jobs?

Why veteran's should apply for a federal job?

The federal government is hiring! At a time when private sector jobs are shrinking,
the federal government has posted tens of thousands of jobs from entry level positions
to the Senior Executive Service. With millions of employees, the federal government
is the largest employer in the United States. Over the next few years, more than
half of the government current workforce will be eligible for retirement, which
means even more opportunities in the future and great opportunities for advancement
to more senior level positions as the workforce retires. In addition, government
positions offer a much higher level of job security than is traditionally found
in the private sector.

CareerPro Global, Inc. specializes in developing entry to C-Level federal applications.
Send us a federal vacancy announcement so we can provide a free critique to determine
if you are qualified and have the experience to apply. Visit careerproplus.com
or militaryresumewriters.com.

The government is currently seeking personnel with training and experience in virtually
every discipline. Homeland security positions are in high demand, as well as security,
telecommunications, IT, Intelligence, logistics and health care. Many positions
require a security clearance, which is a big plus for veterans with a current or
recent clearance. Skills gained in the military are directly transferable to many
of the positions the federal government is currently seeking to fill.

The federal government values military experience, as many of the jobs are similar
to work performed by military personnel. Some military jobs are now being performed
by members of the civilian workforce. It is not unusual for a military veteran to
be hired as a civilian for the same job or similar position once held while on active
duty. Many of the skills and duties involved in military positions are directly
transferable to civilian government positions with Homeland Security, the FBI, CIA,
and many others. Many federal agencies also value the training and certifications
gained in the military, such as contracting certifications, leadership training,
and secret security clearances.

Experience can substitute for college degrees in many middle and senior-level government
positions. Private sector jobs often require a minimum four-year degree for senior
positions, but the federal government recognizes that military experience can often
provide real world experience that is invaluable. A military veteran without a degree
can often enter the government workforce at a higher level than in the private sector.
With the federal government, you are less likely to start at the bottom and work
your way up.

Military veteran candidates are often eligible for special preference over non-veterans
when applying for a government job. In some cases, even the spouses of veterans
who were separated under honorable conditions can receive the Veterans Preference.

Veteran's preference

Since the Civil War, veterans have been given preference in appointments to federal
jobs. Congress recognizes the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces by
passing laws that provide hiring preferences to military veterans. Disabled veterans
often receive a higher preference. Not only does this help veterans during the hiring
process, but also give veterans retention preference during periods of reduction
in force. Preference alone will not place a veteran in every federal job, nor will
it apply to promotions or other in-service actions, but it does give the veterans
an edge against the competition.

The rules can vary from job to job, but generally speaking, a veteran must have
an honorable or general discharge to receive a Veterans Preference, unless the veteran
retired at the rank of Major/Lieutenant Commander or higher and is not disabled.
Members of the National Guard and Reserve active duty for training do not qualify
for preference unless they are disabled veterans. For preference to be considered,
it must be indicated on the resume.

Veterans who served during specific periods of conflict may be eligible for a 5
or 10 point bonus to their application scores. A 5-point preference is given to
veterans who served during a war, from April 28, 1952 through July 1, 1955, on active
duty for more than 180 consecutive days (other than for training) any part of which
occurred between January 31, 1955 and October 15, 1976, during the Gulf War from
August 2, 1990 through January 2, 1992, for more than 180 consecutive days (other
than for training) any part of which occurred between September 11, 2001 and an
ending prescribed by Presidential proclamation or by law as the last day of Operation
Iraqi Freedom, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign medal has been
authorized. Any Armed Forces Expeditionary medal or campaign badge, including El
Salvador, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Southwest Asia, Somalia or Haiti qualifies for
preference. NOTE: a campaign medal holder or Gulf War veteran who originally enlisted
after September 7, 1980 (or began active duty on or after October 14, 1982) and
has not previously completed 24 months of continuous active duty must have served
continuously for 24 months or the full period called or ordered to active duty.

A 10-point preference is given to veterans who served at any time and received a
Purple Heart or who has a present service-connected disability or is receiving compensation,
disability retirement benefits, or pension from the military or the Department of
Veterans Affairs.

Spouses, widows, widowers, or mothers of veterans may also be eligible for this
preference as a "derived preference" if the veteran is not able to use the preference.
To obtain the 10 point preference, the veteran (or qualifying relative) must complete
form SF 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, available from the Office
of Personnel Management (OPM) web site: opm.gov/forms/html/sf.asp.

In addition to point preferences, there are other benefits such as Veterans Recruitment
Appointment (VRA),which gives federal agencies discretionary authority to hire veterans
who meet the basic requirements for the position without competition. After two
years of satisfactory service, the veteran may be converted to a career-conditional
appointment in the competitive service, or may receive a noncompetitive temporary
or term appointment based on VRA eligibility (which does not lead to a career job).

New VRA eligibility requirements limit appointments to veterans who are disabled,
who served on active duty in the armed forces during a war (or in a campaign or
expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized), who served on active
duty or participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces
Service Medal was awarded, or who are recently separated from the military (generally
meaning veterans discharged within the past three years). VRA allows appointment
of eligible Veterans up to the GS-11 or equivalent grade. Direct appointments can
be made for entry-level to mid-level positions often without need for a vacancy
announcement.

30 percent or more disabled veterans may be directly appointed to a position with
no grade-level limitation and without a vacancy announcement. Initial appointments
can be time-limited to 60 days or more, with potential noncompetitive conversion
to permanent status at any time during the time-limited appointment. Such positions
are discretionary within federal agencies.

The Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) allows veterans to compete
for jobs that are not open to other external candidates. A VEOA eligible who is
selected will be given a career or career-conditional appointment. VEOA applies
to veterans who are "preference eligible" (as explained above) or who are separated
under honorable conditions after three or more years of continuous active service.

Applying for federal jobs

As with most job applications, the federal government requires a resume, but a
Federal Resume is much different than what is expected in the private sector. A
Federal Resume must also include special key words and phrases found throughout
the vacancy announcement to pass the initial screening process. Although there are
similarities, each agency (and often each job announcement) will have specific information
required in its own format as specified in the vacancy announcement.

There are several different versions of Federal Resumes as well, depending upon
the application process. Whether it is an OF-612, SF-171 replacement, a Senior Executive
Service format, or a resume that is entered into one of the many online application
systems, the government requires more information than is typically found in a private
sector resume. For example, some applications require your social security number
or the last four digits, others require the full addresses of previous employers,
supervisor names and phone numbers, and/or a detailed listing of education (including
relevant coursework, credits earned and GPA) and training (including certification
dates).

Online formats required by systems such as USAJOBS, AVUE, Army CPOL, Navy CHARTS
and others are very specific, both in terms of actual format and document length.
These online formats can be very restricting, and the instructions they provide
can be very difficult to interpret correctly. Any missing information can result
in a rejection of your application.

Some federal job announcements require additional statements or technical questions.
The most common of these are Knowledge, Skill, and Ability statements, or KSAs.
These questions must be answered in a narrative statement explaining in detail some
specific experience, knowledge or capability with examples from the candidate's
career. Length typically runs from 3/4 to 1 1/2 page answers per question and each
answer is scored by a reviewer. Like other vacancy questions, KSAs generally require
at least one or two examples in the CONTEXT — CHALLENGE — ACTION — RESULT format,
and the reviewer will want to see details. Other mandatory statements include Executive
Core Qualifications (ECQs), Technical Qualifications (TQs) or Professional Technical
Qualifications (PTQs) or Managerial Technical Qualifications (MTQs). Additional
statements are usually uploaded as a separate document or are entered into an online
field during the application process.

NOTE: If your answer is too long for an online format, you will either receive an
error message requiring you to shorten your answer before you can submit, or your
answer will be truncated, removing any additional information beyond the required
limit.

Senior Executive Servive (SES) positions are the highest level in the civil service,
requiring at least 10 years of executive leadership experience. Personnel in these
top-level positions generally run entire departments, large scale programs, or an
entire agency. Successful candidates are usually top military officers, Chief Executive
Officers, Chief Financial Officers and other "C" level executive officers. While
all other application processes focus on what you have done, there SES process focuses
on how you did it. It's not enough to say you led a project, you must show how you
created and promoted a vision, how you motivated people and built coalitions, how
you secured and managed funding. In fact, there are 28 Executive Competencies that
must be covered in the application process, which is deliberately designed to be
grueling and time consuming, with little margin for error. Many people have called
their SES application process "cathartic," because it forces the applicant to review
their entire career in minute detail, thoroughly examining their tactics, leadership
style, career path history and future goals.

Mandatory ECQ statements address expected leadership competencies such as Leading
Change, Leading People, Business Acumen, Results Driven and Building Coalitions,
however, each of these has several subtopics that must be addressed and the terms
used often have their own unique definitions that are quite different from what
you would normally expect. Again, a minimum of one to two examples must be provided
in the CONTEXT — CHALLENGE — ACTION — RESULT format.

The 5-page SES application is a new development that has complicated the process
considerably. ECQs are reviewed by a panel, and reviewers are accustomed to ECQs
with one to two pages per answer. Several agencies are trying variations on a 5-page
resume that additionally includes all of the information traditionally found in
separate ECQ statements. Although the government issued a very basic guideline in
2010, there remains a great deal of variation on how to interpret the new requirements
and the new format. To successfully write these applications requires a great deal
of skill and inside information.

Online federal resume formats

Most federal agencies accept applications that are entered online via the Internet.
These online resumes and applications undergo a triple screening process that is
designed to reject as many applications as possible. Since these positions are announced
throughout the United States, the government would receive literally thousands of
resumes for certain positions, especially in a down economy, so systems are in place
to restrict successful applications only to those who have clear qualifications
for the position. Unfortunately, this system often eliminates many qualified candidates
as well. Many people have received rejection letters saying they do not have the
minimum required experience, although they have held similar positions for many
years. If experience is not presented in a manner the agency expects, it effectively
does not exist.

The online resume screening process begins with an electronic for key words and
phrases required for the position. These are usually included in the vacancy announcement,
but they are not obvious. A careful reading of the announcement to identify themes,
repeated phrases and jargon is necessary for success. Without the right keywords
(or enough of them) a resume will be rejected. There are many other factors involved
that the candidate generally cannot know, such as where keywords should be placed
in the document, proper format of text and paragraph usage to highlight them properly,
and many details. This information is not found in the online instructions or the
vacancy announcement. In addition to the keywords and phrases, your resume must
also read well and directly target the information requested in the announcement.
Additional irrelevant information can distract from legitimate experience and result
in a rejection.

After the electronic search, a low level administrative assistant will visually
inspect the document for information he or she has been directed to find and many
not even understand. If you pass these stages, a higher level reviewer who probably
does have experience in the appropriate field will check the details to see if there
is sufficient experience in the proper areas to warrant an interview. You resume
will be scored according to this experience and the top level candidates usually
will be called for a phone interview, followed by an in person interview.

NOTE: the entire screening process can take from a few days to several months after
the announcement closes. For this reason, it is usually wise to apply for as many
jobs as possible that reasonably match a candidate's skills and experience.

Online formats include numerous restrictions that make it difficult to fully express
work experience. Each online application format has different requirements for resume
length, date formats, number of jobs allowed to be described, and the number of
characters allowed in each field. Some mandate the name and format of each supervisor,
even if the candidate indicates it is "Not OK to contact" that supervisor or if
the supervisor is no longer available. Other online formats (most notably the Federal
Aviation Administration) require numerous "check the box" type answers to an extensive
list of questions detailing every possible aspect of your prior experience.

Character counts are unforgiving. Note that is characters, not words, and spaces
and paragraph breaks are counted as characters as well. Exceeding a character count
will result in an error message or simple truncation of an answer. It is critical
to review all answers entered online prior to submitting, especially in you paste
in an answer that was copied from Microsoft Word or some other word processing software.

Some of the most common online formats include:

Army CPOL

The Army's Civilian Personnel On-Line (CPOL) format is used for most Army postings
and allows 12,000 characters to describe your work experience, with no limit on
the number of positions you can list. There are two other fields for your education
and additional information. You can only have one resume on file for all applications.
This can be limiting, depending on your background and achievements, and makes it
difficult to target keywords properly for various jobs.

Navy CHART

The Navy's Civilian Hiring and Recruitment Tool (CHART) format allows up to 6
positions to describe your work experience, with up to 7,500 characters per position.
In addition, there are fields for education (including high school information,
partial degrees and certifications in addition to completed degrees), professional
training, licenses and certificates, performance ratings and awards, and other information.
You can only have one resume on file for all applications. This can be limiting,
depending on your background and achievements, and makes it difficult to target
keywords properly for various jobs.

USAJOBS

Since this format has been endorsed by the Office of Professional Management (OPM),
USAJOBS is fast becoming the premier clearing house for all government jobs. Unfortunately,
there is a great variety in how other agencies use the system. Some rely completely
on the USAJOBS online application process, which allows for 5 different resume versions
and includes a document upload feature for KSAs and other documents to be attached
in submissions. Some use USAJOBS simply as a shell that immediately redirects you
to the agency site where the online application process may be completely different.
Others receive the resume from USAJOBS or request you use its format and then redirect
you to answer additional questions. The United States Air Force uses USAJOBS but
with its own unique requirements.

Note that USAJOBS also allows a resume to be uploaded directly in GIF, JPG, JPEG,
PNG, RTF, PDF or Microsoft Word format, allowing candidates to completely bypass
the online builder, but this is actually counterproductive, as uploaded resumes
are not part of the searchable database. Using the online builder allows other agencies
to find you, and also ensures your resume includes all the information required
within the appropriate character limits. It certainly takes longer, but is much
more beneficial to use the online builder.

USAJOBS has no capability to submit KSAs and other statements online. They are either
uploaded as separate documents or are entered online after transferring to an outside
agency site. Often, these instructions are unclear or misleading, so it is important
to click the Preview Questions link if one exists. There is usually a contact person
listed with an email or phone number to answer any questions regarding the application.

Avue Central

The Avue online resume system is provided to the government by Avue Technologies.
This is one of the most complicated systems in terms of structure and requested
information. Work experience has a 4,000 character limit and is added according
to three categories: Federal Position, Non-Federal Position, and Military. TQs or
KSAs are entered into an online field when required by the vacancy announcement
and are limited to 4,000 characters.

How to read federal vacancy announcements

Each announcement will include important information such as who is eligible to
apply, qualifications that must be demonstrated in your work history, and may identify
mandatory supplemental statements or questions.

Eligibility

Some announcements are open to the general public, meaning anyone may apply for
the job, however most require American citizenship. If the vacancy for Status Candidates
only, it is most likely open only to federal government employees, military veterans
who have separated within in the past 3 years or who are eligible for veteran preference
points. Some are restricted to current Agency Employees only. Read the vacancy announcement
carefully to determine eligibility.

Qualifications

Announcements usually list a job summary and qualifications for the position that
must be demonstrated in your work experience. Your resume will be scored according
to how the experience you list matches these requirements. The key to a successful
submission is to highlight skills the announcement is asking for in your work history
where appropriate, avoiding unnecessary details that might be interesting but do
not add value and can distract from more important experience.

Grade Levels

The federal government uses grade and pay level structures such as the General
Schedule (GS) system to identify positions, pay and seniority. Entry level positions
are designated as GS-4 and below. GS-5 through GS-6 positions are lower level positions
with greater authority, equivalent to a Non-Commissioned Officer in the military
services. GS-7 through GS-11 positions are middle management positions equivalent
to Company Grade officers, while GS-12 though GS-15 positions are upper level management
jobs equivalent to Field Grade Officers or department managers in the civilian world.
Senior Executive Service (SES) positions are top-level management positions in the
government. Within each grade level are 10 steps that indicate seniority and rate
of pay within that level. Occasionally, government workers can actually receive
a promotion by taking a lower grade with a higher step level. Most announcements
require at least one year of experience at the next lowest level, although education
can sometimes substitute for this requirement./li>

Application

Each announcement with have specific application instructions, including a closing
date, resume format, and possibly additional documentation. Some require copies
of your transcripts (these do not usually need to be official transcripts during
the initial application phase), copies of military records such as a DD-214, or
other government documents related to prior service as a federal employee. You will
be told whether you need to apply through an online system, email or fax a resume
and assorted documents, or mail in your application with a specified number of copies
of each document submitted. Complete applications are usually due to be received
by midnight on the evening of the announcement closing date. Specific instructions
on KSAs, ECQs or other supplemental statements and questions are also explained.

Supplemental Statements & Questionnaires

Specific instructions on KSAs, ECQs or other supplemental statements and questions
will be listed in the announcement, but these can be confusing, especially in some
of the online application systems. Read this information carefully as some requirements
can be very specific, limiting the size of margins, character counts, font size
and other factors. Some statements are entered into an online field while others
must be uploaded as a separate document. Any deviation in required format can result
in a rejection of the entire application. When creating a separate document for
submission, it's a wise idea to use a header with your name, social security number
(if required), phone number and the vacancy announcement number, job title and grade.
Often times question responses will be separated for more that one reviewer to evaluate
and this simplifies matters if your statements are printed and the pages become
separated for review.

How to write your materials

Check the vacancy announcement for specific information required. Each announcement
is different and may require some or all of the following information in a specific
format.

Personal Information:

Full name, mailing address (with ZIP code)

Home, cell and work phone numbers (with area code)

E-Mail address

Social Security Number

Country of citizenship (most federal jobs require United States citizenship)

Veterans' preference

Highest federal civilian grade held (give job series and dates held)

Professional summary written in 3rd person

Work Experience:

Job title (include series and grade if federal job)

Employer's name and full address, including street address, city, state and ZIP code

Supervisor's name and phone number (indicate if OK to contact)

Starting and ending dates (month and year or month, date and year as required)

Hours per week

Salary

Job duties written in 3rd person

Job accomplishments written in 3rd person

Education:

For colleges and universities:

Name, city, state and ZIP Code

Type, major(s), and year of any degrees received

GPA

Total semester or quarter credits earned

List or courses relevant to the position

For high school:

Name, city, state and ZIP Code

Date of diploma or GED

Other Qualifications:

Job-related training courses, including course title, date (may be year or month and year), course duration (hours, days or months)

Certifications and licenses (include Secret or Top Secret clearance here)

Job-related honors, awards, and special accomplishments such as publications, memberships in professional or honor societies, leadership activities, public speaking, and performance awards

Supplemental Essay Questions:

In addition to the resume, an applicant also may need to prepare KSAs or answer
other essay questions such as TQs, ECQs or others. These supplemental essays are
generally written in a CONTEXT-CHALLENGE-ACTION-RESULT (CCAR) format, detailing
one to three examples addressing the question. Unlike the resume, these narratives
are written in the first person. Since each answer may be judged separately and
may be split among different reviewers for evaluation, each should be treated as
an individual document. Any acronyms used should be defined in each and no reference
should be made to another answer (e.g., never say, "See question 2 above"). It is
also permissible to reuse examples in different answers, although these should be
written in a different manner to target the specific question and a greater variety
of answers is best. Examples should be within the past 10 years and as recent as
possible.

CCAR Format:

Context: Where you worked, when, who with and in what capacity?
Challenge: What was the problem that needed to be resolved?
Action: What did you do to resolve the issue or improve the situation?
Results: How did the situation improve? Did others recognize you for your efforts?

SES Application requires answering 5 ECQ essay questions and may also include
one or more Professional Technical, Technical, or Managerial Qualification essays.
The PTQs, TQs and MQs are similar to KSAs. ECQs, however, are unique and very specific,
as they are addressed as a group and must address 28 Competencies in the proper
areas within the 5 overall questions. While other essays focus on what you did and
the results, ECQs use the CCAR format to highlight how you lead. You must show what
steps you took to develop and promote a vision for strategic change or reduce conflict.
How did you maintain external awareness and use political savvy to identify decisions
makers with the authority to support your position and build a coalition? What programs
and policies did you implement to boost morale and develop your people?

Note that the terms used in the information requested often have different definitions
that are normally understood. For example, the topic for ECQ 3 is Results Driven,
but it 6 includes subtopics such as Decisiveness, Entrepreneurship and Technical
Credibility. The last does not necessarily mean use of technology, it means you
understands and appropriately apply the principles, procedures, regulations and
policies in your field of expertise. So if you are a contract manager who is known
for solid understanding of contracting law, regulations and procedures and you can
apply them properly in a variety of situations, you can demonstrate your Technical
Credibility.

NOTE: ECQs simply cannot be successfully written without a thorough knowledge and
understanding of the federal SES guide. If any one of the competencies is not sufficiently
addressed, the application will be rejected (although in some cases, if there is
a minor question, the ECQs will be returned with one additional chance to submit
revisions).

The 5 ECQs include:

Leading Change: How do you develop and implement strategic change within an organization?

Competencies:

Creativity and Innovation

External Awareness

Flexibility

Resilience

Strategic Thinking

Vision

Leading People: How do you design and implement strategies to maximize employee potential, build teamwork and reduce conflict in an inclusive work environment that values diversity?

Competencies:

Conflict Management

Leveraging Diversity

Developing Others

Team Building

Results Driven: How do you solve problems and identify new opportunities for organizational improvement?

Competencies:

Accountability

Customer Service

Decisiveness

Entrepreneurship

Problem Solving

Technical Credibility

Business Acumen: How do you administer human, financial, and Information Technology resources to ensure success?

Competencies:

Financial Management

Human Capital Management

Technology Management

Building Coalitions: How do you identify key decision-makers, understand the internal and external politics, and influence stakeholders to build coalitions and secure agreements?

Competencies:

Partnering

Political Savvy

Influencing/Negotiating

Employee benefits offered by the federal government

New employees may be eligible for special bonuses such as a recruitment bonus
or a relocation bonus. This will be at the discretion of the employing agency. Other
beneficial federal programs may include incentive awards, employee development programs,
student loan repayment programs, retention allowances, and interagency transfers.
All agencies support community service and encourage participation in the annual
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC).

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB)www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.asp
The government's health benefit program has about 180 health plan options throughout
the United States, including consumer-driven health care and preferred provider
network options. At least a dozen plan choices are available to each employee, which
allows for a broad choice so that employees can select the plan that best meets
their own individual health care needs. While specific benefits vary among FEHB
plans, none can impose a waiting period or require a medical exam to enroll in their
plan.

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)www.fsafeds.com
FSAs allow employees to increase their disposable income because the amounts they
contribute are not subject to federal income, FICA, State or local income taxes.
The federal government offers both a Health Care FSA and a Dependent Care FSA. Employees
can use the Health Care FSA for expenses that are tax-deductible, but not reimbursed
by any other source, including out-of-pocket expenses and non-covered benefits under
their FEHB plans. Some examples are non-covered dental services, lasik surgery,
health plan deductibles, and co-payments and coinsurance. FSAs for dependent care
are available for employees with dependent children or qualifying dependent adults
when the care is necessary to allow the employee to work.

Leave and Holidayswww.opm.gov/oca/index.htm
Federal employees are entitled to at least 13 days of vacation leave as well as
13 days of sick leave each year. Depending on years of service, employees can earn
up to 26 days of vacation leave each year. In addition, Federal employees get 10
days paid holiday each year.

Family Friendly Flexibilities:www.opm.gov/oca/leave/index.htm
The federal government provides many programs for workers to support their needs
for individual flexibility. For example, Flexible Work Schedules allow employees
to adjust their work hours in order to take a day off each pay period. Employees
can enjoy twenty-six 3-day weekends! Also, the federal government's Alternative
Work Schedule allows employees to select certain arrival and departure times that
best suit their needs within their working day. Agencies are encouraged to allow
eligible employees the opportunity to Telework either at home or at a remote location
at least one day a week. Family Friendly Leave Policies provide flexibility for
military leave, allow employees to care for a sick family member or flexibility
in the event of a disaster or emergency. In addition, while specific programs may
vary, agencies also offer Employee Assistance Programs, Part-Time & Job Sharing
Positions, Resources for Child & Elder Care Resources, Information and Incentives
for Adoption, and other Child Support Services.

Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS):www.opm.gov/retire/index.aspx
Retirement benefits are based on your years of service and salary history.

Thrift Savings Plan (TSP):www.tsp.gov
With the Thrift Savings Plan, individuals can self-direct their retirement savings
program through multiple investment options. This plan is very similar to a 401(k)
plan.

Social Security:www.ssa.gov
Federal employees will earn Social Security credit while working with the government.
Social Security provides for individual's future retirement benefits, provides disability
protection, and allows for survivor benefits protection.

Medicare - Part A:www.medicare.gov
Government employees are automatically
eligible for Medicare Part A at no cost beginning at age 65.

Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI):www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.asp
FEGLI is a group term life insurance program. It consists of Basic life insurance
coverage and three options. In most cases, if you are a new Federal employee, individuals
are automatically covered by Basic life insurance and your payroll office deducts
premiums from your salary unless you waive the coverage. In addition to the Basic,
there are three forms of Optional insurance that you can elect. (Standard, Additional,
and Family). The program offers the opportunity to retain your coverage for your
entire life.

Long Term Care Insurance Program:www.ltcfeds.com
As a new federal employee, you have the opportunity to apply for long term care
insurance under the federal program with minimal underwriting. However, a limited
number of medical conditions will prevent a new employee from being approved for
coverage. Long term care helps people to perform daily activities if they have an
ongoing illness or disability. This program offers a choice of benefits that can
provide a variety of services, including but not limited to: nursing home care,
assisted living facility care, adult day care and at home care. Please see the link
for specific information. There are many other benefit programs that make the federal
government a model employer and a top ranking career choice. The following is a
list of additional programs offered by many of the agencies:

Relocation Bonus:www.opm.gov/3rs/fact/RELBONFS.asp
Lump-sum bonus to newly appointed employees for difficult-to-fill positions. Up to 25% of basic pay may be paid prior to employee entering on duty. Service agreement with repayment plan if service time not fulfilled.

Relocation Bonus:www.opm.gov/3rs/fact/RELBONFS.asp
Lump-sum bonus for difficult-to-fill position in a different commuting area; up to 25% of basic pay. Service agreement with repayment plan if service time not fulfilled.

About the Author

Barbara Adams, President & CEO of CareerPro Global, the parent company of www.careerproplus.com
has been a member of the careers community for the past 23 years she and holds four
prestigious industry certifications. CareerPro Global, Inc. is the first business
of it's kind in the careers industry to earn ISO 9001-2008 Certification in July
2010. CareerPro Global is one the fastest growing Military, Federal and Civilian
Resume Writing and Careers Coaching companies in the industry. Barbara's team of
Certified Professional and Federal Writers assist thousands of veterans applying
for and gaining Federal employment each year.